By Mashe Umaru Gwamna
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has charged the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN) to adopt data-driven, intelligence-led and enforceable engineering regulation to enhance public safety, improve infrastructure quality and restore public confidence in the profession.
The President gave the charge on Tuesday while declaring open the 34th COREN Engineering Assembly in Abuja. He said engineering regulation must move beyond paperwork to become proactive, preventive and trusted by Nigerians.
Represented by the Minister of Works, Engr. David Umahi, Tinubu said the future of engineering regulation in Nigeria should focus on preventing failures rather than reacting to disasters.
“The future of engineering regulation in Nigeria must be preventive rather than reactive to protect lives, investments and public confidence,” he said.
According to the President, strategic engineering regulation requires competence, integrity and accountability at every stage of infrastructure delivery from planning, design and procurement to construction, supervision, commissioning, maintenance and eventual decommissioning.
“Public safety must be embedded in every project we undertake. When engineering succeeds, society moves safely. When engineering fails, lives are lost, investments are wasted, public confidence is damaged and national development is delayed. Therefore, public safety must remain the first principle of engineering practice,” he stated.
Tinubu stressed that engineering regulation is designed not to punish professionals but to protect the public interest, noting that no road, bridge or building is more valuable than human life.
He described COREN as the statutory body empowered by the Federal Government to regulate engineering practice in all its ramifications and said the council occupies a strategic position in ensuring safe and sustainable infrastructure development.
The President reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to delivering durable infrastructure across the country, saying the Federal Ministry of Works remains focused on constructing roads and bridges that will serve generations of Nigerians.
“We are determined to build roads and bridges that will stand as evidence of vision, competence and national renewal,” he said.
He also reiterated the Federal Government’s resolve to complete the four Legacy Road Projects across the six geopolitical zones under the Renewed Hope Agenda, describing them as strategic investments that will boost connectivity, stimulate economic growth and drive national development.
Tinubu commended COREN for choosing the theme of the assembly, “Advancing Public Safety in Nigeria through Strategic Engineering Regulation, Enforcement and a Tiered Sanctioning Regime,” describing it as timely and aligned with the Federal Government’s vision for quality infrastructure and public safety.
Chairman of the occasion and President/Chief Executive of Dangote Industries Limited, Aliko Dangote, represented by the company’s Chief Economist, Prof. Hassan Umaru, said engineering excellence remains the bedrock of public trust, industrial competitiveness and national development.
He stressed that every infrastructure project must comply with approved engineering standards and be properly maintained throughout its lifespan, adding that quality control, sound engineering design, technical discipline and strict adherence to regulations are essential to successful project delivery.
Dangote urged COREN to continue strengthening its regulatory framework while enforcing appropriate sanctions against erring practitioners to safeguard lives and property.
Earlier, the Minister of Works, Engr. David Umahi, in a keynote address delivered on his behalf by the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Works, Mr. Rafiu Adeladan, said engineering shapes the daily lives of Nigerians through critical infrastructure such as roads, bridges, dams, buildings and pipelines.
He warned that failures in engineering systems often result in collapsed buildings, flooding, industrial accidents, transportation disasters, environmental degradation and significant loss of lives and resources.
“These failures are often traced to inadequate regulation, poor maintenance and lack of accountability,” he said.
Umahi maintained that engineering regulation must possess the capacity, independence and authority to enforce standards fairly, ensure compliance and protect the public interest.
He also endorsed the adoption of a tiered sanctions regime, describing proportionate, transparent and legally enforceable sanctions as essential for deterring violations, promoting compliance and strengthening confidence in the regulatory system.
“As government continues to execute strategic infrastructure projects nationwide, strict regulatory oversight must remain non-negotiable. No project, no matter how urgent or strategic, should compromise safety and standards,” he said.
The minister reaffirmed the ministry’s commitment to collaborating with COREN and other stakeholders to ensure that all public infrastructure projects meet the highest standards of quality, safety and integrity.
In his opening remarks, COREN President, Engr. Prof. Sadiq Zubair Abubakar, said the theme of the assembly reflects the council’s core statutory responsibility of protecting the public through effective regulation of engineering practice.
He described public safety as the ultimate measure of engineering success, noting that every road, bridge, building, power system, pipeline and industrial facility carries an obligation to protect lives, property and the environment.
According to him, engineering failures often have devastating consequences, making robust regulatory oversight, compliance monitoring, accountability and effective sanctions indispensable.
Prof. Abubakar highlighted COREN’s achievements, challenges and ongoing reforms aimed at strengthening engineering regulation, promoting innovation, improving infrastructure resilience and supporting sustainable national development.
He called on stakeholders across the engineering sector to work together in building a regulatory system that protects the public while fostering economic growth and professional excellence.
